LIVE - Basingstoke Bison v Guildford Flames (From Basingstoke Gazette)

9:01pm

FULL-TIME - Basingstoke Bison 4 Guildford Flames 2

The Bison achieve their aim by not allowing the Flames to claim the league at the Basingstoke Arena.

They are still heavy favourites to finish top but they must wait until tomorrow at the earliest to claim the title, while the Bison took a big step towards hanging onto second spot tonight.

See The Monday Gazette for a full report and all of the reaction.

9:00pm

GOAL - Basingstoke Bison 4 Guildford Flames 2 - Doug Sheppard (59:52)

And that must be that. DOUG SHEPPARD wins the puck on his own blue line, skates down the ice and calmly slots into the empty net.

8:59pm

16 seconds to go. The Flames have pulled their netminder.

8:55pm

Guildford call a time-out with 1:33 left following a scuffle between Joe Greener and a Flames man.

8:54pm

Into the last two minutes. Stevie Lyle saves well to deny Branislav Kvetan.

8:48pm

Guildford have the puck in the net - but it was off its moorings and the goal doesn't count.

8:47pm

There was a massive scramble in front of the Bison net shortly after that goal, causing Doug Sheppard to take a time-out.

It seems to have done the job, with the Bison having a decent spell to ease the pressure.

8:43pm

GOAL - Basingstoke Bison 3 Guildford Flames 2 - Paul Dixon (53:03)

Joe Greener should clear but he fails to control the puck and PAUL DIXON takes advantage to make ground before crashing home from the slot.

8:41pm

Guildford's Jozef Kohut is unable to make contact with a puck driven across the goal. Any touch and that would have been 3-2.

8:39pm

Nathan Rempel fires in a shot but Bison netminder Stevie Lyle is equal to it, the puck hitting his body.

8:35pm

A well-struck shot from Greg Owen. Not far away.

8:32pm

Decent shot from Jaroslav Cesky. It was heading for the top corner, forcing Mark Lee into a smart save.

8:31pm

With Greg Chambers out, Matt Selby is filling in at the back. There's a bit of a lull at the moment - but Greg Owen fires against the pads of the Guildford netminder.

8:28pm

The Bison break out but again try to be too clever, failing to get a shot away.

8:26pm

Still sustained pressure from the visitors - but the Herd are defending well.

8:24pm

And the powerplay is over. Great penalty killing from the home team.

8:23pm

Joe Greener is back so the period of five on three is over. Just 23 seconds of the powerplay left now and Greg Owen fails to make the most of a lone break, firing over.

8:22pm

FACE-OFF

The third period is under way. Good news for the Bison as Nathan Rempel is back on. Hopefully that means Greg Chambers will be able to play tomorrow. 

8:03pm

END OF SECOND PERIOD - Basingstoke Bison 3 Guildford Flames 1

Another excellent period of entertaining hockey. Guildford looked like they had the wind in their sails when they pulled a goal back - but the Bison responded well.

The penalty is a real worry though. Apparently the rule is that if blood is drawn it's an automatic match penalty, so they can have no complaints.

At present the Bison must survive another 1:12 with three men and 1:59 of the original five Chambers picked up.

However, Chambers had been filling in at the back and he will not return, possibly until next week.

7:59pm

FLAMES POWERPLAY

Now the Bison are down to three as Joe Greener picks up two minutes for charging at 39:07.

7:53pm

FLAMES POWERPLAY

Greg Chambers gets a match penalty for high sticks at 16:59. That means he will not play again today and could miss tomorrow's game against Swindon if Nathan Rempel, who he caught in the face, fails to come back on, while the Bison will be down to four men for five minutes.

7:53pm

More good penalty killing from the Bison. Branislav Kvetan had the Flames' best chance, Stevie Lyle keeping him out from close range, while Joe Greener went close for the Bison.

7:48pm

FLAMES POWERPLAY

Cameron Wynn is called for slashing with the clock at 34:30.

7:42pm

GOAL - Basingstoke Bison 3 Guildford Flames 1 - Joe Miller (30:50)

Joe Rand finds JOE MILLER unmarked in front of the goal and he fires high into the net, restoring the hosts' two-goal cushion.

The goal came against the run of play and after Guildford had just gone close through Jozef Kohut.

7:39pm

GOAL - Basingstoke Bison 2 Guildford Flames 1 - David Savage (27:25)

The visitors are back in it as DAVID SAVAGE fires past Stevie Lyle from the slot to reduce the deficit to a single goal. David Longstaff gets the assist.

7:36pm

Almost a second for Greg Owen, who meets Tony Redmond's drive at the back post but turns the puck wide.

7:30pm

GOAL - Basingstoke Bison 2 Guildford Flames 0 - Joe Greener (23:04)

A shorthanded goal for the Bison. Greg Owen breaks out from his own zone and while Guildford netminder Mark Lee does well to save with his legs, JOE GREENER is on hand to lift the loose puck over him and in.

The powerplay is now over. Can the Bison finish the job and spoil Guildford's party?

7:28pm

FLAMES POWERPLAY

Joe Miller goes to the box. Two minutes for slashing, possibly, at 21:44.

7:27pm

That's a great break opportunity for the hosts but they try to overplay and the chance is snuffed out.

7:24pm

FACE-OFF

The second period is underway at the Basingstoke Arena.

7:08pm

END OF FIRST PERIOD - Basingstoke Bison 1 Guildford Flames 0

It's been a really good game so far, played at a great tempo. The Flames will feel hard done-by to be losing but it was a great strike for the goal.

7:06pm

Carl Graham's pass is intercepted by the Flames' Dean Holland but Jozef Kohut's shot is wide.

7:03pm

The Bison survive - with the Flames creating very little.

7:01pm

FLAMES POWERPLAY

Carl Graham gets a two minute rest for interference at 14:41.

6:59pm

The Bison break two-on-one - but they fail to make it count, the pass going astray.

6:58pm

Good skill by the Flames' Nathan Rempel but his shot is wide.

6:57pm

Greg Chambers is playing as a defenceman - but Nicky Watt obviously wasn't fit enough to play. He's back in his tracksuit.

6:56pm

The Bison break through Jaroslav Cesky but he is forced wide and can only shoot over.

6:55pm

Another scramble in front of the Flames net - but this time the visitors see off the danger.

6:53pm

The powerplay is over, with Bison failing to test the visiting netminder.

6:51pm

BISON POWERPLAY

Joe Miller tests the visiting netminder and in the aftermath, Guildford's Jez Lundin is ruled to have taken the net off its moorings.

6:49pm

GOAL - Basingstoke Bison 1 Guildford Flames 0 - Greg Owen (7:03)

The penalties passed with little event, Joe Rand having the best effort.

However, with the sides back to full strength, GREG OWEN picks the puck up on the left, takes it forward and finds the far top corner with a great shot.

6:49pm

The Flames made a strong start before those penalties.

Milos Melicherik had two decent chances but failed to beat Stevie Lyle. The second was an especially good chance.

Nathan Rempel and David Savage also had efforts saved, with the net coming off it's moorings after Savage's effort.

6:46pm

Both sides have a player in the penalty box.

The Bison will be without Matt Selby for two minutes after some roughing. Also in there is Branislav Kvetan for the hosts, serving two minutes for boarding.

6:42pm

Use the comment box at the bottom of the page or #Bison on Twitter to have your say on tonight's game.

6:38pm

FACE-OFF

And we're underway at the Basingstoke Arena.

6:34pm

Nicky Watt is among the Basingstoke players on the ice. Maybe his knee will be okay.

6:33pm

There's a large travelling contingent from Guildford and it's a great atmosphere here tonight. Every seat is taken and every ticket sold.

6:32pm

The Flames are on the ice - and here come the Bison.

6:30pm

Guildford lost 6-3 at home to the Peterborough Phantoms on Wednesday night but they can still clinch the title this evening.

To avoid seeing the Flames celebrate on their ice, the Bison must avoid losing in regulation time. A point would be enough to make sure their local rivals have to wait until at least tomorrow night.

6:26pm

TEAM NEWS

Good news for the Bison is that forward Andy Melachrino is back in their line-up.

Nicky Watt also warmed up but it is not yet clear whether he has recovered from his knee injury enough to play.

However, defenceman Alex Symonds remains out, so Greg Chambers is likely to continue to deputise in defence.

6:23pm

Good evening and welcome to live updates from a sold out Basingstoke Arena, where the Basingstoke Bison are hosting the Guildford Flames in an English Premier League match.